All dogs go to Heaven, especially these ones

by Guillaume Laflamme
Shawville
Apr. 13, 2024
A chihuahua, a shi-tzu and two pugs were among the eight dogs patiently waiting their turns to be blessed by Minister Schalk W. Naudé of the Shawville United Church on Saturday morning in what was the church’s first pet blessing ceremony in celebration of National Pet Day.
The ceremony began with a welcome from the minister, followed by a prayer. Afterwards, the minister invited the dogs and their owners one by one to the front of the room, where he would bless the dogs with a prayer.
“[Pet name], may you be blessed in the Name of God who created you, and may you and [the owner] enjoy life together with our God,” Naudé said at each blessing.
Minister Naudé would then award the pet owners a certificate of blessing for their pet.
According to a paper distributed by the church at the event, National Pet Day is a day celebrated all across the country on Apr. 11. It is a day meant to bring awareness to animals in need of homes and celebrate the happiness that pets bring to our lives.
Minister Naudé, originally from South Africa, moved to Canada five years ago. He has been working at the Shawville United Church for the last nine months. For him, blessing these pets is a way of treasuring and honouring the universe and creation.
“For me, a pet is like part of my life,” Naudé said. “If you read a little bit about quantum physics and how they try to explain the universe [ . . . ], everything is made out of energy. And because everything is energy, and is a vibration, we are all connected. So I’m actually blessing a part of myself.”
Carole Valin, a member of the United Church, was happy to hear about the opportunity to bless her pet.
“He’s 12 and probably needs a blessing. It’s a kind of a cute idea, you know,” Valin said.
A small pet procession through town had been planned for the newly blessed pets and their owners following the ceremony, but was cancelled due to a rainy forecast.
Naudé believes the first event was a success and hopes to continue the pet blessings for future years.